Process for flanging tubes.



G. H. REYNOLDS, DECD. A. n. muons, ADMINISTRATRIX.

PROCESS FOR FLANGING TUBES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT123, 1908.

1 ,OOO, 1 22. Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

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G. H. REYNOLDS, DEOD.

PROGESS FOR FLANGING TUBES.

1,000,122, Patented Aug. 8,1911.

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ABBY E. REYNOLDS, 0F MANSFIELD DEPOT, CONNECTICUT, ADMINISTRATRIX OFGEORGE H. REYNOLDS, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL FIR-E EXTINGUISHERCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PROCESS FOR FLANGING TUBES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

Original application filed February 2, 1907, Serial No. 355,421. Dividedand this application filed September 23, 1908. Serial No. 454,454.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that GEORGE H. REYNOLDS, deceased, who was a citizen of theUnited States, and resided in Mansfield Depot, county of Tolland, andState of Connecticut, invented a new and useful Improvement in Processesfor Flanging Tubes, which I, ABBY E. REYNOLDS, administratrix 0f theestate of said REYNOLDS, fully set forthin the foldrawings illustratinga machine, which may be employed for carrying out the process andproducing the product, accompany this specification, and therein: I

Figure 1 is a top-plan partially in section, illustrating a machinewhich produces the article and-illustrates the process; Fig. 2 is asectional view illustrating the die-blocks and hammer-hen d with thepipe or tube end in position and illustrating a step in the process offlanging; Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, showing the fiangecompleted; Fig. 4 is a partial section and elevation illustrating theparts as the flange is being completed; Fig. 5 is an end elevation ofthe hammer-head; Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a mode ofproducing a joint from two flanged pipes or tubes; Fig. 7 is a sectionalview illustrating an alternative mocle;of carrying out the invention;Figs.

'8. 9 and 10 are views similar to Fig. 7 and illustrating successivesteps in the alternative mode of producing a flange; Fig. 11 is apartial section and elevation illustrating the formof hammer-head usedin carrying out the alternative mode of the invention; and Fig. 12 is anend elevation of the hammerhead shown in Fig. 11.

Preliminarily, it may be stated that the invention herein set forth wasdisclosed in the application of said George H. Reynolds, Serial KO.355,421, filed February 2, 1907, and this application constitutesdivision thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 ates as a cushion or butter.

1 indicates the frame of the machine which is composed of a series oflongitudinal and transverse ties or beams, which ma be suitablyheldtogether by bolts or other fastiening means and which supportbaseplates 2 and 3 for carrying the several parts of the apparatus.Tie-rods 4 and 5 extend longitudinally of the frame and are supported bystandards 6, to which, lattersaid rods are securely bolted for thepurpose of securing stability of the machine. One of the supports 6carries die-blocks 7, which are made to conform to the shape of thearticle 8 to be flanged and the inner surface of which is grooved toform a shoulder 7 and beveled at 7 just back of said shoulder, the ,saidarticle passing through said die-blocks, in which it may be firmlyclamped in any suitable manner. A hydraulic mechanism, for actuating thehammer-head, consists of a cylinder 9 with the piston 10.1and rod 11working therein and said piston having the forwardly-extendinghammer-rod 12 secured to it, at the forward end of which is securelyheld the hammer-head 13 which, as shown, is recessed so as to providethe slightly curved cylindrical portion 14, which extends into the endof the tube or other article 8 to be flanged. The hammer-rod isjournaled in the bearing 15, which supports it between its ends andgives stability and certainty to the movements of the hammer-head. The

rear end of the piston-rod is provided with worm-threads 16 cooperatingwith a worm sleeve 17 and the extreme end of said rod moves in a cell orchamber 18, which opersleeve 17 has the ratchet-wheel ltl'fixed thereto,which cooperates with a series of pawls 2 0 rto prevent backwardmovement.

As the pressure in the cylinder drives the hammer-head, this being anintermittent rotation or stcp-by-step movement. The form of thehammerhead is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 and comprises the angularhummer-block Q1 separated shown by the .9 0 The wormintervening curvedportions 22, which are substantially, at thebase of the cylindricalportion 14:. Near the rear end of the ham mer-head, a flange 23 isprovided, which cooperates with the ends 24: of the dieblocks and limitsthe inward movement of said hammer-head. The angular hammerblockscooperate and correspond with the shoulders 7 of the die-blocks, and thecylindrical portion 14 of the hammer-head, entering the end of thearticle to be flanged, compels the flange to be outturned and preventsinterior buckling.

As illustrated by this form of the mechanism and hammer-head, theprocess of flanging an article is as follows: A tube 8, e. g., see Figs.2 to 4l,-is placed between the the blocks, which are operated upon tofirmly clamp the end of the tube in alinement with the lltUIlHlQF-llOSCland rigidly from movement. The apparatus is then started into action,whereupon the hammer-rod will be rcciprocated with an intermittentrotary movement, a movement of rotation alternating with a forwardmovement of the hammer-head; and each blow of the hammer-head upon theend of the tube resulting in simultaneously driving separated portions 8of the end of the tube longitudinally of the latter and slightly at anangle thereto. and giving to other separated portions 8 a slightlyoutwardly-curved form at an angle to the length of the tube. The angularhammer-blocks 21 of the hammerhead produce the first etfect, while thecurved, intermediate portions 22 produce the second effect, and theportions 8 and 8 alternating. A succeeding forward movement of thehammer-head, plus a rotary movement, will bring a curved portion 22 ofthe hammer-head into contact with one, of. the portions 8 previouslyproduced by an angular portion 21 of the hammer-head, and will bring theangular portion 21 of the hammer-head into cooperation with a curvedportion 8 previously produced by a curved portion of the hammer-head.This results in crowding longitudinally the previously deflectedportions 8 of the tube and giving them a little greater curvature, andin slightly more curving the portions 8 of the tube. This operation iscontinued until a flange is produced, substantially as shown in Figs. 3,t and (3, wherein a flange 8 rectangular in cross-section is formedaround the end of the tube and just forward of said flange the pipe ortube is considerably thickened, as at 8.

According to another form of the invention, the luunnier-head. isprovided with the several rectangular hammer-blocks 25 alter hating withthe curved portions 26, both said portions terminating at their forwardends in the shoulder '27. the flange and tubular portion ll of this lainnier-head being in all material res ects substantially the same as inthe other orm of hammer-head. The hammer-head is reciprocated andintermittently rotated in the same manner, but, as illustrated by thisform of the mechanism and hammer-head, the process of flanging anarticle is, as seen in Figs. 7 to 10, that the end of the tube a iscaused to buckle transversely of its length,*as at 66 by contact of thehammer-blocks 25 with the end thereof, as indicated in Fig. 8, whilesuccessive blows will result in producing a flange consisting of aportion a of the end of the tube superposed upon a portion a of the bodyof the tube back of the end, and crowding the two parts longitudinallyof the tube and thickening the body of the same back of said flange at aas clearly illustrated by Figs. 10 and 11, this form of hammer and dieresulting in producing a rectangular flange of double-thick materialarranged at a rightangle to the length of the tube, with the thickerportion in the body of the tube at the inner face of the flange, asclearly indicated in said figures.- The separated hammer-blocks25operate upon separated portions of the tube-end and the rotarymovement of the hammer-head brings successive hammer-blocks intoengagement with successive portions of the flange.

A connection made with pipe sections, produced as above described, isillustrated in Fig. 12, wherein,sin1ilar oppositely-disposed rings 28are placed on adjacent, abutted ends of pipe sections, the said ringsbeing made at their inner surfaces to conform substantially to the formof the flange of the pipeends, rivets or bolts 29 being then passedthrough the two rings to tightly clamp them together and in engagementwith the ends of the pipe sections so as to produce a substantiallyfluid-tight joint. As an additional step in the process of flangingmetal articles, the latter may be preliminarily heated, or heat may beapplied to the article during the flanging operations. The applicationof heat to certain metals during or before the flanging operationsprevents flaking and fracturing and facilitates the flanging process;and the atmospheric cooling of the article during the flanging operationresults in concentrating the molecules of the metal and strengtheningthe completed flange.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. The method of flanging tubes, consisting in clamping the end of thetube rigidly in, position at a point a short distance back of its end,administering a number of blows directly on the end of the tube atseparated points and at the same time sustaining the tube interiorly atits end and deflecting intermediate portions of the end of the tube,

whereby, at one and the. same time, portions of the end of the tube arebent or outturned and other portions of theend of the tube are bothoutturned and compressed longitudinally of the tube.

2. The method of flanging tubes, consisting in holding the tube rigi yin position at a point a short distance back from its end so as toprevent lateral movement thereof,

turning the extreme end of the tubelaterally to a certain degree atseparated points along its periphery and intermediate portions of theend of the tube to a different degree, and continuing this operationuntil the several portions operated upon are brought into 15 contactwith a. die-block when all said portions of the tube are compressed.into a flange rectangular in cross-section.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo sub- 20 scribing Witnesses.

ABBYE REYNOLDS,

Admim' stmtria: of the estate of George H. Reynolds, deceased.

Witnesses: v

E. E. BAss, H. D. POLLARD.

